England opt to field in final Sri Lanka Test

England captain Michael Vaughan won the toss and sent Sri Lanka in to bat in the third and final cricket Test at the Galle International Stadium here.

The tourists, trailing 1-0 in the series, left out off-spinner Graeme Swann from the 12 announced on Monday and went in with just one specialist slow bowler in Monty Panesar.

Sri Lanka awarded a Test cap to 26-year-old fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara and recalled all-rounder Tillekeratne Dilshan.

The match, the first at this stadium after it was destroyed by the Asian tsunami in December 2004, was due to start at 12 noon (0630 GMT). A wet outfield prevented any play in the morning session.

England: Michael Vaughan (capt), Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ravi Bopara, Matthew Prior (wicket-keeper), Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga, Michael Vandort, Chamara Silva, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene (wicket-keeper), Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Chanaka Welegedara, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Umpires: Asad Rauf (PAK) and Daryl Harper (AUS)

TV umpire: Asoka de Silva (SRI)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)